


A Different Plan

by leighanicole



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, M/M, Multi, Other, Platonic Kissing, Platonic Life Partners
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-10-31 05:49:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17843630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leighanicole/pseuds/leighanicole
Summary: Au starting at the end of POA onwards. Sirius Black decides that if Harry wants to live with him than he's going to make it happen, regardless of the law, Dumbledore, or the dimwitted Dursley's.





	1. Chapter one

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING. 

AUTHORS NOTE: This was rattling around in my head and any updates if they come will be slow in arriving because I have another story that takes priority. 

 

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Sirius Black flew away from Hogwarts with an unsteady heart and a heavy mind. Things didn't sit right with him. He had been listening to the kids when they spoke to him. Dumbledore had ordered them to mess with time. Dumbledore who if Fudge was to be believed was now Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Harry was so small. Harry had wanted to live with him, Sirius Orion Black, escaped convict. NOT visit or stay for a while no he'd wanted to move in right away. He'd been running away from home when Sirius had first met him. 

Obviously something was wrong there. First Sirius would fly Buckbeak to Uncle Alphard's island. No, no that was to far away by hippogriph. Well if Harry wanted to live with him then Sirius would just have to make it happen legal or not, and the girl with all the hair whose name he still couldn't get right had given him the perfect idea. 

Instead he'd head toward Eduardus's estate, It was closer and that particular Ancestor had been 'disowned' mostly so the family could save face. He had after all been a very successful serial killer. Part of how he'd done it was the use of time turners. Their were still some at his Estate. Eduardus had evented and built several designs of his own that modified the possible uses of a time turner. The entire place had been kept up in secret no one except the head of the family and his heir were ever informed that the place even existed. 

Sirius aimed Buckbeak for a small town just outside of London. The old house wasn't much just a modest farming home but with a good few acres attached to it. Enough for Buckbeak to be comfortable. Knowing he'd need a disguise and to get heathy he immediately called for all of the Black family elves loyal to himself. 

He set them to gathering supplies and cleaning as needed. The Ritual rooms needed scrubbed down and set up. Sirius had access to a whole room full of time turners he could go back with Harry before he escaped prison and cross over to another country. The bedrooms and kitchen needed to be sanitized first so they could actually live here. It took two days of intense work but the house was finally livable. Food was gathered from the greenhouses or purchased discretely from magical farms, and stored were appropriate. Books on healing from dementer exposure were found and purchased. 

Along with texts on healing magical children in abuse cases. Just in case his worse fears were confirmed. After reading the books and giving it a good bit of thought Sirius had the family books brought to him and found someone he thought he could trust if they gave him a vow. Belvina Black a fourth cousin of his was a potions mistress who'd not been a death eater nor did she have any particular love of the law or ministry. Once he'd taken verataserum and answered her questions, She willingly gave him a vow to keep his secretes and to help heal not only him but his godson as well.

Belvina was happy to help Sirius, at first for the opportunity to get one over on Narcissa. The snobby bitch had been going on and on for years now how she would be inheriting the Black family vaults and Estates. Her haughty attitude had been grating on Bel's nerves for years of holiday dinners her parents had forced her to attend. 

However the more she got to know Sirius the more she liked him and wanted help for his sake alone. Still she did have a personal stake in Sirius getting his name cleared. Bel hade been dodging marriage offers, dates, and salacious offers for the last fourteen years. If she could help Sirius and eventually clear his name he might help her stay single for life. 

She had recently confessed this and after being pressed told him why. She had never in her life experienced any sexual attraction to any person ever. Not even slightly. The thought of getting sweaty and naked with another made her want to hurl. So she happily and dutifully helped Sirius research and prepare for taking charge of his health and life. 

Sirius scrubbed himself down so many times that he'd turned wrinkly and all his skin was pink. He shaved all the hair off his body and washed two more times, just in case. When he was as clean as he could possibly be he walked naked to the first ritual rooms and began the first of ten purifying rituals he'd chosen to rid himself of the taint of Azkaban. 

The first ritual had involved bathing in goats milk. It had turned a nasty brownish black by time he was done and he'd had to repeat the ritual two more times before the milk stayed whitish and only then had he been able to move onto the second ritual. Rituals one, three, and seven all had to be repeated for maximum effect. Which Sirius hadn't really anticipated so it took him longer than he thought it would to begin his recovery. In between rituals he ate large meals with medicinal draughts and drank healthy shakes laced with nutrient potions curtesy of Belvina. 

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Three weeks after Harry and Hermione waved good bye to a man and his hippogriph, a shaggy dog made it's way through empty yards and dark paths towards Private Drive in Surrey. His spiked collar was enchanted to keep him under people's radars. So long as he didn't go around attacking people than anyone he passed would view him as unimportant and would forget about him as soon as they looked away. He would stay around the neighborhood and do some reconnaissance before Harry came home. 

Padfoot waited in the hedges in number fours back yard until the fattest child his poor eyes had ever seen, snuck in leaving the door open behind him. For his godson Sirius would risk anything. He followed his nose to a small cupboard under the stairs, strange that his scent would be so strong there. Sirius went up to the second floor and hit jackpot. 

The Hogwarts Express had arrived only that afternoon. Vernon Dursley had left to pick him up and the kid should be home soon. Sure enough a car pulled into the drive and doors could be heard opening and closing from here. Then voices arguing came into the house and closed the door a purple faced Vernon was screaming that there would be changes that they would no longer be so lenient or forgiving of his freakishness not after what he'd done to Vernon's poor traumatized sister. 

Padfoot sat on top stair and shifted into Sirius canceling the notice me not charm on his collar as the collar itself shifted into a strange spikey necklace. "Well you were partially right their will be changes." He said softly just loud enough that Harry, Vernon, and Petunia heard him. 

"Who the devil are you!" Vernon shouted. "You've no right to be in my house I'll call the police!" 

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. "I've already disabled your phone, and my name is Sirius Black." He watched as their eyes widened and they stepped back. Petunia was mouthing the words 'mass murderer'. "Yes, that Sirius Black." 

Sirius sat down on the stairs stretching his legs out. "Come here Hadrian let me see how my favorite nephew is doing."

"Hadrian?" Harry questioned.

"Nephew?" Petunia squeaked.

"Yes, Harry your proper name is Hadrian. How did you not know that?" Sirius replied before turning to Petunia. "Yes Petunia, my nephew, Mr. and Mrs. Potter adopted me when I was sixteen, legally only mind you. So while we aren't blood related we are still family." 

Harry raced up the stairs to give Sirius a hug. The man smiled and gave him a tight squeeze before settling Harry on the stairs beside him tucked neatly into his side. 

"Now Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, I do believe we have a business arrangement to discuss. You see Dumbledore needs Petunia's blood to help power the security measures he has around the place, so good news for you, I can't kill you." Petunia put her hand over her heart rather dramatically and all but fainted as she sat suddenly on the hall chair. Vernon in a rare moment of intelligence realized that promise didn't include himself and edged his body into the corner and closer to the door.

"What kind of business deal?" Vernon asked. "We can all be reasonable here."

"I'm glad you asked." Sirius told him with a smile. Sirius snapped his fingers signaling his house elves and a with a pop a small table with contract parchment and a fountain pen appeared before the Dursley's. "This is magically binding contract. I'll summarize it real quick then shall I? Just state if you agree after each point.

"I agree." Vernon nodded relaxing slightly this wasn't so bad Vernon negotiated contracts all the time.

Point one: Hadrian needs to 'live' in the house with petunia for a set amount of time to recharge your security features. During that time I will send Hadrian all the food he requires and one of my house elves will keep the house and yard clean and looking good. Don't worry no one will see them or ever know that they are here. "

"I agree." again this wasn't so bad, he would see the boy less and wouldn't have to worry about spending any money on him.

"Point Two, the room you have for him now is too small for a growing boy so you will renovate it into a guest bedroom, and Hadrian will live in the attic. I will work on it so that the attic looks perfectly normal we can use the side space for storage I'll fix it up so its safer. And the rest we can turn into a sitting room and a bedroom. I can bring over a bathroom in a wizard space closet so that neither Hadrian or I will need to use your water supply while here. When Hadrian turns seventeen he'll move out taking all magical items with him and the space will be yours for what ever you want. " 

Free renovations on the Attic, much less time to see the freak. "I agree"

"Point Three, While Hadrian needs access to magical things and items for your safety and peace of mind we will agree that neither Hadrian nor myself will use any spells or active visible magic while on your property."

"I AGREE!" Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon shouted in tandem with each other.

"Point four, I will provide Hadrian with all medical needs, school supplies, and clothes mundane (muggle) or magical that he may need. So that at no time will he be a strain on your resources."

"I agree" Vernon told him immediately.

"Point five, the Dursley family as a whole will swear a magical vow via this contract not to tell hint or write to any one about the location of Sirius Orion Black, or any thing overheard by Sirius Orion Black while he is in your home."

The agree came a little slower and little shakier this time but come it did. "I agree."

"This is great five points and not a single disagreement." Sirius declared happily. 

"Point six. I want to spend more time with Hadrian in the magical counties and conclaves. So Hadrian will come home every holiday to spend with me. All I need from you for this part is for you to write to Hogwarts administration board request home visitation forms and Fill them out for Hadrian to turn in. I'll pick him up and he'll stay with me you will not actually see him during these times. Every summer including this one; once the wards have charged your family will go on vacation somewhere you can say your taking Hadrian with you to anyone who asks but in reality Hadrian and I will be going our separate ways so you will have your family vacation and we will have ours."

He wasn't unhappy with this request and he and Pet had been wanting to visit Majorca again. He supposed being able to brag about his vacations would do their reputations some good. They hadn't been able to have a real summer vacation since the freak had started that freaky school, for fear he'd bring home something odd that any potential baby sitter might find. That and they'd had no way to explain the damn owl. 

"I agree." Vernon said after a moments pause. "But I want a guarantee that we won't see him. I want you to promise we'll be safe and healthy. That none of your nonsense will harm any of us or infect our Dudley."

"Perfectly reasonable requests I agree, I'll even go one further and help Dudley get healthy now. That way his school nurse wont have anything more to gossip or to complain about when he goes back to school and Dudley will be able to eat all he wants."

"A vacation every summer will get expensive how do you expect us to pay for it." Petunia asked nasty smirk on her face. 

"I am not going to reward you for being horrible to my nephew." Sirius roared at her. "You can use the money I know for a fact Dumbledore sends you every month. Money that you have never used on him before." Sirius took a deep breathe to calm himself down which only partially worked. "You need to be alive P'tuney." Sirius' voice took a disturbingly childish quality. "Alive doesn't mean intact. I could carve out your eyes, split your tongue so I never have to hear your shrill voice again. YOU can live with out your limbs. You can LIVE while permanently disfigured because some unnamed person probably me took a knife to your plain assed face!" He ended up yelling at her. Petunia burst into sobs. "I'm trying to be reasonable here. Vernon am I not being reasonable?"

"You are!" Vernon quickly yelled, while frantically bobbing his head up and down. 

"You see everything can be worked out if we just keep calm and talk it out." Sirius told them brightly. "Now I'll have final say on all things pertaining to our nephew, and you get to look good because of it." 

"You two can call your son out from kitchen where he's been listening in and you three can sign the contract full names please, then Hadrian and I will sign it."

Vernon drug Dudley out from behind the kitchen door and all three of the Dursley's signed the contract it glowed a soft golden color until Hadrian and then Sirius had signed it too, when it flashed white and then stopped. It looked like any other piece of paper after that. Sirius rolled it up, snapped his fingers, and Harry watched in awe as the document, table, and fountain pen all disappeared as easily and quietly as they'd come. 

"Come along Harry, We've work to do up stairs then." Sirius told him happily. 

Harry watched as Padfoot grabbed up Harry's trunk and began whistling as he made his way up to the attic. Sirius paused at the top of the stairs and waved his hand negligently toward the downstairs hall table where the telephone sat. "Your phone should work again" He turned to Harry gave a wink and whispered. "because I never did anything to it to begin with. Wouldn't know how to if I'd wanted so I just bluffed."

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 

The attic could only be accessed as far as Harry knew by pulling down a rickety old ladder from the ceiling at the end of the hallway there was nothing else down that way but a linen closet that aunt Petunia used to store cleaning supplies in but hadn't bothered using since she'd moved Harry out from under the stairs. Sure enough Sirius who was quite tall already had to jump to grab the chain attached to the attic ladder, which came down with a clang and a clatter that made Harry feel sure the whole lot of it was about to fall apart. 

The attic itself was filled to the brim with boxes and trunks and bags that had been piled up everywhere. "Some of this stuff is rightfully yours you know." Sirius told him looking around "It's from your grandparents house and should have gone to your mother." 

Sirius took a deep breathe and told Harry "Your mum and dad were already in hiding so your aunt tried to have the will contested claimed it was an old will and should have all gone to her. Only thing was your grandparents had made changes to the will and refiled just a month before they died. So that sort of blew up in Petunia's face." 

"Your mum found out about two weeks before she died, she snuck out to her childhood home and made a few changes. When your mum died Petunia tried to claim it all any way and then found your mom had charmed all the boxes against Petunia opening them." Sirius laughed "Guess the cold hearted shrew never realized that all she had to do was let someone else sort through it all! You won't have to worry though Harry part of the contract I conveniently forgot to go through had her relinquish all claims to your mums inheritance."

"Sirius?" Harry asked unsurely. "If we can't use magic is it not going to take a long time to clear all this away?" 

Sirius smiled and gave his godson a wink. "One the actual contract only said you and I wouldn't use magic down stairs without reason. I'm also setting up some wards up here that will stop our using magic from being detected. Two we never promised not to have the house elves use magic." 

"But the ministry can detect house elf magic and I'll get in trouble!" Harry exclaimed. 

"No you won't. A house elf can mimic their masters magical signature and I suppose if that master was under age and in a muggle neighbor hood they might get in trouble, for the most part house elf magic is untraceable." Sirius frowned as he lectured. "Why did you think that anyway?"

So Harry told his godfather all about Dobby, and that led to his second year which led to Sirius gathering Harry up in arms and promising to wrap him silk lined dragon hide and to never let him out of his sight again. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 

The house elves set up a small wizard tent, while they talked, for them to use tonight. Dinner was delivered to the tents living room. The elves cleared their plates when they were done and left them to their discussions. The elves organized themselves made a schedule and got to work cleaning and sorting they didn't open the boxes belonging to Harry just set them aside for later. They did open all the others, the old toys, and children's clothes were repaired, cleaned, and dropped off at a local orphanage. 

Soon most of the Dursley's old stuff had been gifted to charities all that was left was seasonal decorations and the unfished side of the attic had been repaired, and only needed flooring. They moved the ward stones and the wood Sirius and Belvina had gathered, shaped and put into bundles the other day to the unfinished side for Master Black to work with in the morning.

They had finished earlier than anticipated what with ten of them working together so they'd also cleaned the house until it was sparkling, mowed the lawn, weeded the garden and washed the car and the outside of the house. They got some rest and then started on a breakfast consisting of a large amount of fruits and yogurt and one scotched egg a piece with toast and marmalade.

One large pile was set up downstairs for the muggles with a potion in the form of a very healthy green shake from Belvina for Dudley to help turn his fat to nutrients his body could process. The smaller pile was set up in the living room of the tent for their Masters. This one had no special potions yet but they knew that could change. 

When Sirius finished breakfast the first thing he did was move the boards for the walls and began to separate the attic space into different rooms. He laid down the ward stones were he needed them than moved the pile of boards meant for the flooring; positioning them in pattern he wanted the new flooring to be and used a spell to put them in place. He soon had four distinct rooms in place. 

The largest room was set off to the left side and shelving was added to store all of the Dursley's left over junk. A sliding barn door separated it from the rooms Harry and Sirius would be using. The room the stairs came up in he set up as a den. He banished the rickety stairs and the hatch door it was attached to. For now at least that meant their was just a giant hole in the floor. 

The house used to have a fire place the Dursley's had stopped using and boarded up so Sirius just sent cleaning charms up and down the chimney, sent a muffling charm down the shaft and summoned up all the brick which he than used to build a large fireplace for Harry's use. He turned the bricks color varying shades of off white and had fun planting the occasional dark grey brick into the mix. 

The second room he did was a study/owlrey this room had a small circular window set into it that Sirius enchanted to open and close for mail owls and set up Hedwig's new much more elaborate stand and cage nearby. He placed the boxes from Lily's family in the corner there and placed a large desk they could use for lessons and to sort it all so it could be either used put away until Harry was older or given away or junked depending on what it all was.

The last room Sirius turned into a large luxurious bedroom the bed itself was large enough to fit several people an ornate wardrobe sat beside it. Bookshelves were put up and all the books the house elves had found either in storage in Harry's old room and in his trunk were placed on them. 

One of the broken racing bikes which had been repaired and had its coloring changed was hung on the wall for Harry to use later as he wished. His racing broom was hung up on the other side. With several red and gold banners proclaiming Harry's house with a purple outlined Hogwarts school emblem in the middle of them. 

A fixed up fish tank was set up to the side and Sirius sent the house elves shopping to purchase some exotic magical fish, their food, preferred water, and some neat decorations for it. The had also saved and repaired several board games that were stored on the shelves. Sirius sent them for some of the things he knew were in his and Regulus's old rooms like the floor length enchanted mirror, some wizarding children's books, and board games, a wizarding wireless Network Radio, and a full set wizard's primer used by parents and home tutors to teach pure-blooded kids before Hogwarts. Sirius made sure the primers were clear and fresh and set them on the desk for Harry to start using today. 

The House elves delivered to him a load of scrape metal he'd rescued from the junk yard and cleaned up. Sirius walked over towards the hole in the floor where the old stairs and door used to be and pointed his wand at the metal. It began to twist and melt together. Writhing around until it began to take a spiral shape. Sirius gently lowered it to the floor and stuck into place on both ends. He then sent shined up darks stained boards to fit themselves on top of the metal so you were walking on wood not the metal part. He then added some railing around the attic floor so no one would accidently fall down the stairs. 

This morning Sirius had given Harry an adventure book, the first part of a series James Potter had once adored and told him to read out loud and not to leave the tent. He wanted the changes in the attic to be a surprise for him. Now, Harry stared in awe at his new rooms. It was amazing, awesome, phenomenal, he couldn't find the right words if he tried. He had his own bike! There were clothes in a new wardrobe that; while still hand me downs from Dudley, looked brand new, fit, and Sirius said they would be going shopping for more once Harry had been looked over by Belvina, who, it turned out was a distant relative of Sirius's that he trusted and wasn't a criminal and so could be seen with Harry and padfoot. A dog couldn't take a boy shopping after all. 

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 

They had started early and so the Dursley family were just setting down to breakfast when Sirius and Harry came down. 

"I had forgot to tell you my dearest lady Belvina Black will be coming by today." Sirius announced "She's traveling by car and is not wanted for any crimes so she shouldn't set any of your neighbors talking, but if that squib from down the street asks tell her she's a distant cousin of yours that came here to reconnect with the family"

"Squib?" Vernon asked

"A person born to a magical family, but whom cannot actively use magic themselves. Sort of like Petunia's sister in reverse." Sirius told him. "The one I think Dumbledore had spying on you has a small army of cats around her."

"What's this?" Dudley face scrunched up as he whined. "And Why won't the lid come off my plate?" 

"That herbal medicine is part of my deal with your parents." Sirius told him. "It's all natural and will slowly start to turn your fat into nutrients good for your growing body, or baring that, bits your body can pass out of it's system. I suspect you will be allowed to eat only after you drink your shake!"

"Dudley darling just think!" Petunia said quickly "With this you can eat all the sweets and cakes you want without worrying about that stupid diet!"

"oh." Dudley made a face gagging a little as he downed the shake, before quickly removing the lid from his food and shoveling everything could reach into his mouth not even slowing down to notice it was all healthy. Eventually he came to his scotched egg and took the time to gather some toast to place under it as he ate. 

Vernon grumbled about the lack of things he would have preferred to eat but noted it was an improvement over Dudley's diet. Vernon clearly didn't want Sirius mad at him and he wasn't about to do anything that might set Black off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Belvina had never driven a car nor really wanted too before Sirius had come barreling into her life. Learning had been a true pain anyway and not just the driving part or lessons but the getting a car bit. They had to take great care to not arouse suspicion from the Auror office or anyone else and withdrawing then converting the amount of money needed to buy a muggle car would draw attention they couldn't afford. 

So they'd gone traipsing through muggle garbage heaps for what they needed. An old classic that people wouldn't wonder why they were still driving it let alone keeping it in good shape. A positively ancient Rolls Royce someone had long ago crashed; had been pulled out and Sirius had quickly begun repairing everything broken and restoring it to it's former glory. 

They'd then modified and charmed all the bits that belonged to its underneath. If anyone went looking it would appear normal. However, the seats were very comfortable, and their car would never need petrol. It would also very easily be able to navigate traffic and most forms of law enforcement would find it hard to spot. They would therefore never need to give the driver a ticket or run the license plate through their records. 

Which was very good because while she had learned to drive she had also learned that she hated it. So they'd taught one of the house elves to do it for her. Putting strange looking stilts on its feet so it could reach the petals while it sat on a booster seat. A glamour and a few charms and any passing motorist would see a perfectly normal looking man with forgettable features as her chauffer. 

Sirius did have a muggle bank account that was good and had several thousand pounds in it, in addition to several stashes of money and items he'd made during the war for emergencies. They would use it for clothes for herself, Sirius and most importantly Harry. She had gone shopping with Sirius in muggle London a few days before to gather a handful of fancy outfits for herself. So when she met Harry, and his relatives, she would look the part. 

They had also raided 12 Grimauld Place for his mothers gaudiest and chunkiest jewelry sets. They systematically dismantled them and melted the gold into ingots. Most of the jewels were sold loose as were the ingots. The rest she remade into elegant bits that the muggles would appreciate. After all why bother to buy muggle jewelry when she could just make it herself from what she already had.

Belvina stepped out of the car on Private Drive observing the identical rows of houses, all neatly numbered. Their lawns all trimmed the same length, flower beds in full bloom. New cars parked in the driveways, all similar models in similar colors, of white, gray, and tan. It was disgusting. Belvina suddenly had the strangest urge to pull out her wand and start shooting color changing charms in various random directions. She shuddered violently and made her way quickly up to number four; where she rang the bell.

Mrs. Dursley answered the door and had to gape. The woman before her was wearing a black designer skirt suit with pink edging soft pink eight inch Jimmy Choo pumps, a pink Lois Vuitton shoulder bag, and designer sunglasses. The sun glinted off her gold chocker it's beautiful ruby glinted merrily. Her black hair was perfectly coiffed and her eyes a strange violet, Petunia noted faintly, as her pale pink lips stretched into a false smile. 

Petunia had never owned an outfit that expensive and she had wanted to so badly it burned. She had grown up poor and married up into middle class. Vernon and she had worked hard to gain both wealth and in their neighbor hood at least a certain degree of prestige. A part of her though she feared would always be that little nothing of a girl who'd been so envious of others wealth. 

"Hello, Mrs. Dursley I presume?" The stranger stated with an upper crust accent "I'm Belvina Black I do believe you should be expecting me?" 

"Yes, of course." Petunia said mechanically "come in, he's waiting for you upstairs." and because her pride wouldn't let her say musty attic she added "Third floor." as if it had always been as such. Petunia watched as the woman disappeared up the stairs, her husband and son gaping as they too allowed their eyes to follow her as she went her hips swinging and emphasizing her perfect hourglass figure. Petunia hated her, she decided, as much if not more than she'd hated her perfect, pretty freak of sister. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You must be Hadrian." Belvina noted as Harry stared at her open mouthed. 

"But, your pretty!" Harry exclaimed. Belvina laughed. 

"Made me sound like some ancient ole maid did he?" She asked gesturing towards Sirius who was leaning against the wall and grinning madly. 

Harry blushed. "Yes, well no not exactly." Harry rushed to explain "He was talking about all your masteries and how smart you are!" Harry gulped and rambled on. "The only people I know with that many masteries are my professors and they're all old and wrinkly, or mean and greasy like Snape." 

Belvina laughed again. She smiled kindly at Harry and gestured for him to sit beside her. "Well Harry, Sirius told me you were a bit under weight. We also had some concern about your scar." She began gently.

"When Hagrid took you from Godrics Hollow he gave me the impression that you would be seeing a healer. However it appears that they were so concerned with getting you to a location safe from Death Eaters that they neglected your health other wise." Sirius told him. "We just want to make sure that you really are okay."

"I want you to lay back on the couch and I'm going to run some scans over your body using crystals." Belvina told him. "This method will tell me more about your body magic and soul than any other way." Belvina grimaced "Healers don't usually use this method because of all the useless information it brings up as well." She opened her purse began moving out way more than she should have been able to fit. "But in this case your scar is so old and with no previous scans to consult it's the best way to determine what it really is and if anything was left behind that might be negatively affecting your health or environment." 

Harry laid down so she could get started. In the mean time he told them about his parseltongue ability and where Dumbledore guessed it had come from. Belvina sighed. "Silly old men." She continued. "Parseltongue is a hereditary gift one of your parents must have been able to speak it and the other had to be a carrier at least." Belvina sighed again. "We can probably figure out which was which if we investigate a little." She told him. 

"Your mother grew up in a muggle city not a lot of snakes there unless she visited the zoo, she wouldn't have known until she was older and encountered the magical kind at Hogwarts by then she might have known better than to talk about having parseltongue or just not known it was important. Your father on the other hand grew up at Potter manner and it's gardens would have been warded against anything dangerous like most snakes. If your father's family spoke it they would have known to keep it quiet and would have emphasized that to James growing up. Our best bet is to simply ask your Aunt Petunia and if she doesn't know we can scan her and see if she has the latent ability. If your mother could speak it than Petunia has to be a carrier at least."

She hummed and asked him who had gone over personal hygiene with him and if he'd had the talk his body was a few months away from officially hitting puberty, it'd happen sooner once he finished the potions regime she was going to recommend him. 

Harry told them no one had and what he knew about cleanliness came from the boys in his dorm. Sirius and Belvina than talked to him about the importance about good hygiene, different types of shampoo, conditioner and soaps, their uses and what might works best for Harry. They then to Harry's absolute horror gave him 'the talk'. 

Belvina told him the medical terms for his changing body the how's and why's. Sirius concentrated on how it would effect him personally. Sirius covered gender identities and sexual preferences. He had just started on common kinks, when Belvina announced she'd finished the scan and wanted to talk about what she found in his scar. To Harry's immense relief. 

Their was some nasty residue in Harry's scar it was also partially active and transmitting some of Harry's magical energy to the originator, in this case Voldemort the creepy wraith. The good news is it's not attached to Harry in any permanent way. It also meant the thing was taking up physical space inside Harry and affecting his ability to think. He also had a baby block on his magic no one had thought to remove. A few extra strong cleansing rituals would do the trick, which fortunately they already had experience in. 

He was going to need to go through a flush though because he had basilisk venom and phoenix tears in his blood stream still that had settled in after his shoddy medical treatment post chamber incident. They'd do the flush first, it shouldn't take more than a day. Then over the next week they'd do the rituals for ridding him of dark and foreign residue. 

Once that was done He could begin taking potions to increase his appetite one every morning when he wakes up and then nutrient boosters before every lunch and dinner. They'd fix his body of the slight malnutrition he was suffering in two weeks tops at which point he was due another growth spurt. They would buy his new clothes then they decided since their was no point in buying new clothes when he'd outgrow them before he even had time to wear most of them.

Their was a potion Belvina had made to cure her own bad eyesight and she thought she could adjust it to help Harry but she wanted him and Sirius to think it over first since their was a slight chance it could make his eyes worse instead. Harry was all for it arguing that his eyes couldn't possibly get much worse. Sirius wasn't so sure and said he'd need time to think it over. They had a light lunch and Belvina asked Harry what he wanted to do that day since they wouldn't start the flush until that night. He probably would be cooped up while that happened and she suggested he enjoy some sunshine while he still could. 

Harry was reluctant to leave them though but when Sirius guess his problem a solution was quickly reached. Sirius transformed into Padfoot, Belvina put a leash on him, Harry grabbed his new racing bike and they all walked to the park. As it turned out Harry had never been taught to ride a bike so Belvina taught him while Padfoot barked encouragement and chased after him. Harry couldn’t remember ever having a better day. He knew what his new patronus memory would be, and wondered if his mother had lived if she would be a little like Belvina.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I don’t have a Beta so please bare with me there will be mistakes. Thank you.  
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Belvina Black sighed as she watched Harry play, she was loath to spoil his fun but they were on a tight schedule today. They had gone to the park in London and Harry had been roped into playing chess with some of the old timers there. He'd had no idea that spending so much time with Ron had improved his game so much. Ron, from what Belvina understood was good enough at eleven to be a chess master. The child just didn't have the drive to exceed in school, despite having the clear ability. She had been talking to Harry about doing better in school and already they had written to the Deputy Headmistress to change his schedule from Divinations to Ancient Runes and Arithmetic, with the promise that he would pass any entrance exams needed to go into the fourth year class. They finally finished the older gentleman had won. 

"Hadrian darling, it's time to go" She called before any of the other's could talk him into a new game. 

"Coming!" He called back. He said his goodbyes to the chess players and ran back to Belvina padfoot hot on his heels. Belvina took his hand when they left and guided him round the corner. So far they used non-magical methods just in case any one was following but they were so close to Diagon Ally that his trace wouldn't register any magic as being his. They turned the corner to a side street where there were no camera's or people and disapparated to Eduardus' house. They were heading to the cleansing room first than to the ritual rooms to purify his body of the taint Lord Voldemort had left behind. 

They had meant to do this yesterday but Harry had still been sick from the flush. Getting all of the stuff out of his body that wasn't supposed to be there had been tough for him. He'd gotten the sweats and shakes and than he'd began to vomit and if that wasn't enough he'd had diarrhea. 

Sirius and Belvina had stayed with him the whole time sleeping when he slept and getting up with him when he needed it. Rubbing his back when he'd puked and helping him clean up. They had never complained or been grossed out just worried for him. It was the first time in his life someone had hugged him when he'd been sick and promised him it would be ok. Usually with the Dursley's no one cared as long he didn't get them sick too. 

Now that he was not only better but well rested they were going through with the rest of their plans. Belvina had woken him up early this morning to get ready to catch the train into London. Harry really loved that they were both so willing to walk him through the plans and ask his opinion on things like taking the train because Harry never had. 

Belvina directed Harry over to the tub with goats milk and Sirius helped him undress and showed him what to do. To Harry's surprise the milk turned black and thick like tar. They had to empty it and do it all over again. The second time the milk turned a little grey but was still identifiable as milk. Harry began to notice his head felt a little heavy as they moved onto a new ritual room. This time the cleansing ritual involved Sirius and Belvina painting runes on his body using oil and two unicorn hair brushes. Harry than laid down as they chanted over him. One of them Harry wasn't sure anymore was casting healing charms on his body to expel anything harmful the other was chanting out an exorcists hex to pull out the bit Riddle left behind.

The warm floating feeling that had started at the beginning suddenly came to an abrupt halt as pain lanced through his head. His scar burst open and blackish smoke came pouring out. The open wound on his head bled thick brown puss for a few minutes. Belvina had a special cloth out cleaning his scar with it until all that came out was clean red blood she than poured thick healing paste over it and helped Harry to stand. When he kept swaying Sirius picked him up and walked with him to the next cleansing ritual. He didn't remember that one at all. Harry woke up in a bed that was not his. Huge and round the bed was like nothing he'd ever seen before. It was quickly apparent that he must have fallen asleep on Sirius who'd than tucked him into one of the spare bedrooms to allow him rest.

Despite his two hour nap Hadrian was still tired. So Belvina had him eat as much soup as he could and started the journey back to Private Drive. Sirius disguised himself and carried Harry to the train station were he tucked Harry under a blanket with Belvina than found a private place to turn back into a dog. Padfoot joined them in burrowing into the blanket and they napped most of the way back. Harry's head still wrapped in a thick bandage. 

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Mr. Dursley considered himself a nice normal mostly law abiding man. Sure he'd gotten money from the government and the Potter trust to take care of the Freak, but he'd used that money on more important things, though technically illegal on paper; Vernon thought it perfectly justified. For one the freak didn't need it anyway for two he considered it rent for room space. When a tenant paid you rent you didn't turn around and spend the money buying food for your tenant did you? Of course not. So being a normal law abiding citizen it rankled that a mass murderer who was also a freak was living in his attic. He had heard that woman tell Petunia they'd be gone all day he decided right away he'd do something about it. He found the special hotline number to report Black sighting, only to find himself telling the answering officer pig jokes and claiming he'd enjoyed seeing a wild man he thought might be Black rutting one several counties away, before he realized what he was saying exactly and hung up. 

Petunia Dursley had considered telling her neighbors she'd seen Sirius Black and letting them tell the authorities, but she was afraid what might happen to her if he caught wind of the police before they caught him. It didn't matter in the end because she found that no matter what she tried to say about the Blacks, she couldn't. She couldn't even mention Sirius off handedly. Petunia found much to her frustration that she couldn't even talk bad about the freaky floozy Belva. The more she tried the less sense she made and the more her friends began to give her concerned looks. She realized abruptly that they were beginning to think that she'd cracked. Petunia had excused herself to go rest instead locking herself in her room to cry for the rest of the day. 

Dudley didn't much care one way or another about telling everyone about Black. He was much to worried about his new food problem. Sirius had said he could eat anything he wanted as long as he drank the new shake. He hadn't lied per say, but Dudley had found that he no longer wanted a lot of things he used to. Chocolate cake now made him sick just by looking at it. He'd gone to the pizza parlor with his friends like usual only to find he had no appetite and couldn't make himself eat.

After a large lunch with his mom where he'd eaten seconds and thirds, he'd suddenly had the inexplicable urge to run. Dudley had tried to watch the television only to find himself walking around the couch unable to stop. So Dudley had tried to play on his computer, suddenly he found himself shaking and moving around to much to actually play it. Dudley got up and walked outside not really thinking about what he was doing until he had actually run around the entire neighbor hood and was back at his home panting in exhaustion. He had gone to the kitchen to get himself some soda, and maybe some other snacks only he couldn't. There was no soda, no sugar, nothing. He turned to storm off and found a bowl of raw chopped veggies, apples, and mango's complete with dip, a large glass of cold water sat beside it. He whimpered as he realized the magical version of the health police were watching him. There would be no escape. 

0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0

Harry woke up when they reached their stop long enough to get into the car. Than again when they reached the house. Belvina gave Vernon the only Dursley still up it seemed a cheery wave on their way to the attic. Sirius turned back as soon as they were up there and coaxed Harry into eating a late super. He told him stories of pranks he'd played with James Potter and Remus Lupin while in Hogwarts. Belvina kept interrupting by asking what spells they'd used and having him teach them the wand movements and correct pronunciations. Harry found all it amusing and was happy to learn the spells his father had known. Belvina and Sirius both told him that those spells could come in handy if he was in a fight. Nothing so distracting as having to stop and shrink your nose so you can see where you are aiming. 

Hadrian fell asleep against Sirius still talking about Medusa hexes that caused your opponents hair to animate and attack them. Sirius picked him up and tucked him into bed, worried about how light the boy still was. Belvina assured him it was all ok. He would start his potions in the morning and they would help immensely. 

Sure enough the next morning Harry had two potions waiting for him. His first potion contained nutrients like a vitamin boost they explained. The second potion made him ravenous and for the first time ever he ate his entire breakfast and had a small plate as seconds. 

The Twenty-first of June found Harry celebrating Litha for the first time in his life. They explained that the Goddess was heavily pregnant and the sun God at His strongest. It was also the time of victory for the Holly King. They burnt little bundles of herbs as offerings and Belvina took him via house-elf travel to pick herbs in her Garden. She told him sweet stories about her religion as they worked. Sirius also told him that his father had been raised on those stories and celebrated them vaguely. His mother hadn't held with such nonsense either way. It would be up to Harry to choose his belief system and Sirius would not care so long as he never looked down on others for theirs. Sirius himself was not overly religious but he did acknowledge the days, mostly out of habit and partly because Beltaine was clearly the most awesome day ever.

Sirius caught his attention after breakfast the following day. He had something rather important to talk to him about. A request from Harry's mother. She had wanted Sirius to do a partial blood adoption so that he would be Harry's third parent. They had signed a contract and everything.

"You see Harry, when Jamie and Lily married," Sirius began looking a little apprehensive. "Your Uncle Charlus and his wife, my aunt Dorea, were still alive and young enough that they fully expected to have more kids. Their first had died in accident."

"Why would that matter?" Harry was confused.

"The Potters are an old family and even have their own vote in the Wizengamot" his godfather told him slowly. "Your uncle was lord and head of the family and his son would have been after him if he'd had one live. Unfortunately for your family he and Dorea got very ill very quickly and passed on. James became the lord and head, however according to our laws for any one to inherit you need to have at least four magical grandparents, or eight magical great grandparents. Which you do not. Your grandfather Fleamont made a lot of money making potions, he's the one who invented Sleekeazy's Hair Care. He sold it at the time of his retirement and all told quadrupled the money he had inherited from his parents. It's that money you have been using so far. You as you are right now cannot inherit your families land, money or votes." 

Harry was outraged and genuinely upset. It shouldn't matter than his mother was a muggle born. "Blood adoptions are legal, so long as all parents are married." Sirius winced realizing he should have explained that part a little more. "Marriage in the Wizarding states is very different from what you are used to in the muggle countries." 

Sirius took a breath before he began to explain. Magical Marriages were all about contracts. You can have as few as two people in a marriage and as many as thirteen, though that wasn't recommended and the only people who'd ever tried it had caused a war. James and Lily had a standard contract and a muggle marriage ceremony. The standard contract allowed others to be added but that wasn't really the focus so another contract had to be filled out and added to as an appendix. 

"Now the law is very prejudiced against the Muggle born." He told Harry

"No kidding." Harry said bitterly. "Who inherits if I don't?"

"That's not important right now because it's not going to happen. You have until you turn seventeen to claim your inheritance before it can be taken away." Sirius sighed and ran his hands through his stubbly hair. "Your mom and I filed all the paperwork needed for an open contract between your parents and me. So technically me blood adopting you now is perfectly legal and you can claim it was done when you were little. We intended to have it done but Dumbledore insisted your parents go into hiding before we had the chance to complete everything and just listen to me now I've gotten off track. Just listen Harry because this is important."

The laws were prejudiced against the muggle born and that meant it was geared to try and prevent just what Lily and Sirius had planned on doing. Their was of course a loop hole. You see the law stated that if a muggle born needed blood from a pure blood for whatever reason they would have to exchange something of equal value. The loop whole being that the pure blood had to decide what was equal and argue it to the ministry administrator. Most pure blood's would never consider their own blood equal to a muggle born and there fore would not even try to argue to the administrator let alone succeed. Sirius and Lily however had argued that because the Black blood line was so inbred it was causing insanity and squibs that fresh blood would actually save the line and preserve it for generations to come. Of course Sirius would have find a mother to be the third parent but he'd been threatened with his family arranging a contract for him for so long that he figured that part wouldn't be a problem. The administrator had somewhat agreed with them but Lily had had to give four vials of her own blood infused with her magic and blessing in advanced for just one blood adoption on Sirius's part. 

"Now I have a big problem, in that, Azkaban has rendered me infertile." Padfoot stood as he was feeling antsy. "It's possible you might inherit the family magic enough to be able to be my heir, but highly unlikely. You are already your fathers heir and have the family magic even if the law prevents you from inheriting with out me adopting you." 

"So?" Harry asked sort of confused "Why can't you just adopt other kids? I would like siblings it's always been my dream to have a big family." Harry said getting exited about it. 

"Well I am now a wanted criminal anyone I married now would be arrested for consorting with me and that's only if I could find someone in the first place."

"Why don't you marry Bel?" Harry asked. "If your going to be using my mom's blood than her being your what was it again, fourth cousin, won't really matter will it?"

Sirius stilled he hadn't thought of that. "No" Sirius shook his head "She would still be in trouble for marrying me now." 

"What if no one knew it had happened now?" Belvina's voice sounded from behind them. "We have access to the world's best time turners, we were already going to use one to give you more time with Harry to teach him all he needs to know. Why don't I use one to submit a marriage contract between us with the one you filed with Potters? Obviously no one has checked on that file in years. Or else you wouldn't have been sent to Azkaban in first place." 

"That" Sirius said breathlessly "Is pure brilliance."

"If you have such a powerful time turner could you save mom and dad?" Harry asked his voice small. What followed was a full disclosure of what could happen if they messed with time, which led to a lot of crying on Sirius's part and Harry's too. Finally when they were done Harry went to his room to think. Sirius went to his to drink an entire bottle of fire whiskey in an attempt drown himself only to discover he swallowed reflexively and drowning himself was out. 

On the twenty fourth of June Belvina brought up an interesting question. "Where is all your mail?" Harry hadn't understood he had heard from both Ron and Hermione already, He'd also written back that he was being well cared for thanks to Padfoot and his female cousin in code. Any outsiders reading the letter would assume he was talking about a pair of rather large and ill behaved dogs.

"You're a celebrity Harry," Bel exclaimed in exasperation. "People send celebrities mail." She'd ended up searching for mail wards and found one that led to a mail service located in a side alley in Diagon. She and Harry wore wizarding robes and went to visit it. With his recent changes and disguised glasses no one recognized him on sight and they were able to get there unmolested. The ministry had ordered the block on his mail. He had to both know the person and expect mail from them in order for it to get through. The company had been checking his mail sending the lists of hexed and poisoned items to DMLE along with anything really nasty that they didn't want to risk opening. Everything else had been put in stasis and stored in mail bags for when ever Harry or his guardians had thought to come get it. The attendant clearly thought it rude that he'd left it so long. No, it had not occurred to them that no one had informed Harry or said guardian. They had asked said attendant who'd gone pink and become much friendlier. Belvina had the house-elves take all six bags home. She told him later in private that they would likely have to set aside time in their up coming trip to go over it all. Three years might not be enough time after all. 

On June Twenty eighth Harry celebrated the last day of his nutritional potions. He had gained a whole four inches in height and put on two stone. From here on out he'd only have to take regular vitamins and large healthy meals. They did the partial blood adoption on the Thirtieth. Sirius had been right it hadn't changed his magic at all. His hair had grown curly and he'd gained a whole inch in height not including hair. His eye sight was still dreadful and Sirius finally relented and allowed Belvina to fix it for him. 

The entire experience was awful for three whole days his eyeballs itched and there was nothing he could do about it. On the third day his eyes had started feeling like they would pop right out of his head everything was fuzzy whether he was wearing glasses or not. Worst of all he'd developed a massive head ache and couldn't take any pain reliever for it not even the muggle stuff. On the fourth day he found relief. He had woken up with just a minor headache nothing like it had been and he'd not needed glasses as all to see perfectly. Belvina had told him after she'd examined his eyes that the residual headache would go away that day and by lunch it had. 

 

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

 

Belvina wasn't quite sure how she'd ended up roped into this mess. Yes she wanted to stick it to the family; her snooty mom and that uptight Narcissa especially but this was beyond the pale. Alright so she had agreed to it. The first part had even been her idea but than they'd drug out old newspapers and memories to plot her course safely through time. Realized there was quite a bit more they could do about the money situation only when Harry had asked how they would be able to raise kids on the run. He'd offered to let them use his money, which they had both turned down flat. It was their responsibility to take care of him not the other way around. So she and Sirius had filled out all sorts of forms and letters for both the ministry and Gringotts bank. 

She and the family waited until the blood wards were completely replenished on July sixth. Than sent the Dursley's on their vacation. The house was empty on the Seventh as Belvina, Sirius, and Harry turned back time three years. 

Harry had been worried about being older than his friends but he needn't have. The special turner they had used meant he wouldn't age physically until he caught back up to the July seventh date they had left at. The Dursley's were out today and Belvina had no problem disillusioning them so they could sneak out. They found a deserted side maintenance entrance to the park to enlarge the shrunken car. They loaded up and took off. House-elves and all. They parked close the Leaky Cauldron to make it easier on Belvina, who'd not stopped groaning about her dated dress. She got out the car to stand in front of it. "Wish me luck." She winked and disappeared through time. 

She ended up right when she wanted in October first nineteen eighty one. First she was off to the ministry to file her and Sirius' Marriage contract. The contract in itself was just an extension of the one he had with the Potters. It didn't take as long as she expected the line was moving fairly quick everyone was eager to get home where it was safe. Many of the younger generations were getting married quicker than normal and so the administrated barely looked at her forms before filing them. He barely looked at her just gave her a receipt for the money her copy of the sealed contract and yelled next. 

Belvina quickly made her way to the Mail office and set up a box for her personal use. She than headed to Gringotts Bank where she filed her marriage contract they made a copy of her copy after they verified the seal. She than turned in the first four pages of applications Sirius had filled out. Starting the next month a certain percentage of interested generated on his personal heirs trust vault was to be sent to a new vault under Belvina's name. Belvina had to file the paperwork to get this done as well. Than she had to sign everything in triplicate. 

Belvina once done with the bank walked back out to the street where she'd made sure she was alone and turned time one month. She checked her mail, went to Gringotts, filled out the paper work to keep the ministry from the Black Vaults and to set up payment to Azkaban Prison for housing Sirius. Prisoners who didn't pay the fee tended to die quicker. Than preceded to go back to the beginning of the street where she did it all over again except she turned time one year instead of a month. She than took out the Blood vials that belonged to Lily they were in a safe box that kept them preserved and she carefully stored that away in her things. She repeated the process Stopping at Gringotts to make sure the taxes were all filed and paid to the ministry than she emptied her account except for a few sickles turned half of it to muggle money, tucked all away and into a secure pouch. 

She than repeated the same process twelve more times. The only break in routine she got was when she actually had mail from Gringotts or the ministry in regards to her accounts or marriage to Sirius. The Ministry only ever sent her the automated reports all families of prisoners got and the receipts for paying the Azkaban fee. Twice she got mail from Gringotts demanding she meet with the account manager to settle disputes. Mostly and prominently that Narcissa was not allowed to take out money. Bel knew the woman had tried, Narcissa had once claimed that the ministry had misfiled some of the Black family paperwork which was keeping her from the fortune. If that was what she'd deluded herself into thinking, all the better for Bel. The only other break she got was when she was so exhausted she stopped at the Leaky Cauldron for a large supper and good nights sleep about half way through. 

The last visit she made before meeting the boys had her dealing with Arcturus Phineas Black's funeral. She'd made all the arrangement's signed off on his burial, assigned the family lawyer as her proxy's and finished her routine. The boys were waiting on her when she walked to her spot. She collapsed into car pulled a snack out the pre packed basket and went to sleep. Sirius had the house-elf drive them while Belvina rested. 

Harry got Sirius to agree to play several games as they drove along. They'd gone through the chess set, gobstones, checkers, Uno, poker, monopoly, and finally a wizards version of clue, which they both managed to loose much to Sirius consternation. He used to be able to cheat better than that he was sure.

 

O0OO0OO0OO0OO0O 

 

Once in France they rented a cheap hotel room on the muggle side and happily began going through paperwork look for the perfect orphans to adopt since some the original parent usually gets through the adoption they both agreed, that a child at least somewhat related to them already, would be best. 

They found their answer in the descendants of the disowned Isla Black. Her great grand daughter and said grand daughters husband had passed away leaving behind four children all in an orphanage in Basque. Sirius would have to use every one of Lily's vials if they got the kids. They couldn't get one with out the other after all. Belvina thought this might be a good thing. Even with a complete adoption there was still the smallest chance an adopted child wouldn't inherit the family magic. Four kids were better odds than one. The youngest girl was a little too young. However Belvina argued that she could always say she had some of Sirius blood for just in case and used a potion to have another child while he was away in Azkaban. IF the kids agreed to the adoption after everything was explained to them, than they would use a slightly modified fidelius to hide the information about the adoption. Every one would assume they had always been Belvina, Sirius, and Lily's children. Part of the first Marriage Contract Sirius had signed with Lily had made her Godmother of any of his kids allowing people the impression that Lily would have known Belvina and met any kids she and Sirius may have had before her death. 

In the mean time Sirius and Belvina had managed to spend time playing with Harry at various museums, amusement parks, and concerts. He'd had to take Lozenges, that Belvina made him help her prepare, in order to learn French. The Lozenges were not an instantaneous fix rather he slowly learned the language as others spoke it and as Sirius and Belvina read him stories in it over the course of five day's. Once those five days were over he spoke French with the same ability as any one his age who'd grown up speaking it. Sirius drug him off to rock concerts, Belvina to the Ballet, the only arguments occurred when someone suggested Belvina attend the rock concert. She'd said she would the day Sirius admitted the Ballet was the superior form of entertainment. They'd had to agree to disagree and it had not been mentioned since. 

It took them three weeks of slow travel to make it to Basque. During their travel time Harry was aggravated to have to take more Lozenges to learn Euskera. He did however concede that it made things easier in the long run. As soon as they learnt the language they headed for the muggle orphanage. Once there, they confounded the worker into agreeing to let them speak to the four kids alone. None of the kids spoke English or new about magic, so it took some time to convince them that not only was magic real but so was the offer to adopt them. They had explained it would be a full blood adoption and that their birth parents would no longer be a real part of them. The kids had had separate fathers and hadn't liked their mother much any way so the offer was like hitting the lottery as far as they were concerned. The youngest didn't even remember her mom. None of them even minded that they would be loosing their names. Belvina obliviated the muggle workers tracking down those who had quit or just been off work in addition to the kids to make sure they got every one. Sirius deleted the records and by the time they were done no one would remember the kids. 

Once they were done they headed to the sea traveling much quicker than they had before. They stopped a few times to stock up on food and than Sirius flew the car to his Uncle Alphard's island. The house was falling down and everything needed fixed, but the old stone ritual room was still in good order and Sirius and Bel had it cleaned and working right in no time flat. They did the Adoption rituals the day after they arrived to give everyone time to stretch their legs a bit. Every one participated in the ritual even Harry who stood in for his Mother. Adding Lily's blood when it was time was an amazing experience for Harry. 

The vials were full not just of her blood but also her magic. It had swirled around them Sirius had closed his eyes when he'd felt it smiling as he swayed. The magic had all too quickly settled into Harry's new half siblings joined shortly by Siri and Bels magic as well. The transformation this time was far more dramatic than his. The children all looked quite a lot like Sirius with bits of Bel and Lily found here and there in their features the most startling in the youngest boy Hydrus Pyxis Black and oldest girl Carina Vela Black. They both had Lily's brilliant emerald eyes. The youngest girl, Lyra Mensa Black, also had green eyes but hers were a much softer very light green. The oldest boy, Corvus Sirius Black, had inherited Sirius Blacks eyes but for a small ring of dark green that went around the outer edge. 

 

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

 

For Harry and the other children (including Sirius) the island was a dream come true. Alphard Black had planted all the plants on the island growing his favorite fruit tree's and potions ingredients. Random patches of growing veggies could be found here and there. They even had game to hunt in the form of wild boars, chickens, quail, and ponds full of fish, so they would always have fresh meats. The new family built up their home slowly. First was just a shelter which slowly became a tree house looking log cabin. It was designed and shaped carefully to blend in with the surrounding trees and wild life. At first it had only a kitchen, dining room, and living area that doubled as were they slept, but they soon built walkways up into the trees where they built Several small tree houses connected by carefully charmed and braided rope bridges. The little tree houses housed their bedrooms and bath rooms. A Full Bathroom was also built into the downstairs 'main cabin' as the first building became named. While they couldn't stay there forever, Belvina wouldn't let them, all of them agreed that their new home was the most amazing house ever built. 

They all needed new clothes and for the four new kids wands. So far Bel had been teaching them theory using Harry's old school books and having them use sticks to practice wand movement. She had made more Lozenges and had them learning Latin so they could understand many of the pronunciations. She said they would Learn Ancient Greek and Egyptian to help with that as well much to the children's horror. Sirius created potions that he than distributed so they could prank each other. Belvina made them learn how to brew each potion she caught them with lecturing them on the how's and why's of potion ingredient interactions. They had inadvertently also been learning quite a lot of Herbology along the way. A very unintentional side effect of playing on the island. 

It was discovered that Gillyweed grew wild in one of the ponds and Sirius quickly talked Belvina into preparing it for them so they could explore the ocean. It was during one of their exploration trips that Sirius got another bright idea for traveling. The car was too cramped to pack all of them up for long trips. While they had debated what to do about it no one had come up with a suitable answer but staring at the magically preserved treasure before him Sirius knew he had the perfect solution. His uncle must of either hidden the thing here or sunk it on accident and not bothered to pull it up again. Before him was a sleek sailing ship complete with sails all rolled up and charmed to keep the water away from them. The charms had failed here and there but for the most part it looked to be in good shape. He had Harry and Bel the only other people with wands come help him raise it up and pull it to shore so he could get a good look at it.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry sat with his siblings watching in amusement as Sirius, their aita, was scolded by the house-elves. He had made a mess earlier in the kitchen, then like a total butt had ordered them to make him roasted boar for dinner that evening. At that the house-elf in question had lost his collected marbles and informed Sirius that he was a chef not a hunter and if he wanted meat tonight he could go catch it himself. A flabbergasted Sirius had sat in stunned silence as the little thing berated him. Their aita turned to them and wagged a finger in their direction. "This all your fault you know," He sighed dramatically "they'll never be properly scared of me again."

They laughed. "We're sorry, aita!" they chorused still laughing.

"Aita?" Sirius asked them, He knew what it meant of course, he had learned the Basque language for them after all. He just wasn't expecting them to call him father especially so soon.

"Do you not like it?" Little Lyra asked him.

"Of course I do." Sirius told them softly "I had not expected it so soon is all."

Sirius gave them all hugs. "Go get on some play clothes. It looks like I'm going to have to take you all hunting today." Belvina was working in her newly built lab or she might have had something to say about that. As she was not here Sirius wasn't going to tell her until they got back.

"Alright, aitatxo (daddy)." Lyra gave him another hug and was off. When they had finished changing and made it back down to ground level the kids discovered Sirius had been busy shaping small loose branches into bows. He carefully began to enchant each one explaining what he was doing when he saw them coming. That was something Belvina had gotten him into first with Harry and now the others, they would explain everything they were doing and ask them questions to make sure they understood. It was good for Sirius too it helped him remember things he thought he'd forgotten. "Aitatxo? Does Ama know we are going to kill things?" Lyra asked him. "Carina say's she doesn't want to go."

"Your Ama is busy." Sirius told them with a dismissive wave. "She'll understand when I tell her later I'm sure. Any way Carina you have to come, this is something you need to know anyway. What if something happens and your on your own? How will you survive?"

The kids all stood watching him attentively. Sirius braced himself and continued. "So I'm going to take this opportunity to take you all through a few necessary survival skills. Both with magic and without. We are going to cover how to find drinking water, north, shelter and build a smokeless fire. You can take turns using my wand for that one, and the other spells I'm going to teach you. I want you three older kids to get the spells done three times in a row, so I know you know it. Lyra is too young to be consistent yet, and Hyd might be too but the rest of you are not. Alright?" He acknowledged their quick agreements and started to hand out the bows and Arrows he had made from sticks and stones and transfigurations. The bows looked very plain but aita told them that as they grew and learned more magic they could add designs and decorate them to make the weapons more their own. For now the Arrows were only enchanted to not harm humans. They would have to learn how shoot straight with out magic. If they wanted the arrows to do more they would have to enchant their own. Considering that was sixth year Hogwarts material, Sirius doubted they would be doing it anytime soon. He had grabbed some plain, already sheaved knives from Alphard's cabin he strapped to the kids legs. They left Belvina a note in case she came looking for them and began to trudge out into the forest.

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Harry had made friends with Corvus who was eleven quickly enough they were only a few months apart in age or would be in three years when Harry started to age again. Corvus had been born in the November after Harry, if he had started Hogwarts he would have been in the year below Harry. Hydrus on the other hand was only nine and would be a second year when Harry started his fourth. Lyra, was all of six years old and as troublesome as could be. As Harry was stuck a few weeks away from turning fourteen he was the undisputed oldest, for now. If they wanted to get technical Carina was the oldest Her birthday landed on the twentieth of September so like Hermione she would be among the oldest in Harry's year.

However despite the current age differences they got along well and made a true effort to get to know each other, they stayed up late and told stories about their pasts and shared their dreams for the future. Harry's dream had always been to find family and now it had come true. Sure Carina was something of a girly girl. She liked to keep clean and wear pink, but she wasn't hard to get along with and best of all because they had grown up in the muggle world Harry wasn't famous to them he was just their brother. When Sirius had explained the boy-who-lived myth he'd told them it was just pure-blood supremacy non-sense. Lily Potter had done something to defeat the Dark Lord but because she was a muggle born they had given credit to her child for whom she'd given her life.

Carina followed along her siblings in quiet thought. She was scared. She new before the adoption she had been a high level squib. Her new parents had explained that to them right away. That the adoption would give them magic only because they already had cores (like a magical heart) and a magical circulatory system but theirs had been under developed and that there would be a slight chance they could stay squibs because of it well except for Corvus and Lyra who had definitely had small bouts of accidental magic.

Her new ama had examined them after the adoption and declared them all proper witches and wizards. She hadn't let them do magic right away instead they had spent the first month together learning about each other and the English magical culture and the other magical enclave's her parents had visited. As the blood adoption settled so too had her looks. Sirius told her she looked quite a bit like both of her new mothers. As both of them had been gorgeous, Belvina still was, that was quite the compliment. Both her living parents had really wanted them to feel welcome and apart of the family. They asked them about their opinions and actually listened when she answered. It was great. She really didn't want it to end.

They had helped design their own rooms and watched in awe as magic was used to build them a house. Carina desperately wanted to be able to do that. She just wasn't sure she would ever be good enough. What if she were still a squib? What if she didn't have enough magic to do the simple spell aita wanted her to do? He'd said she could but she remained doubtful, for one she hadn't had any sign of accidental magic even after ama had told them their cores had settled normally and that they should start noticing a difference. Just yesterday she had said they could start learning small spells and that they would soon make a trip to get her and Cory a wand. Worst as the oldest Sirius often asked her to do things first. Occasionally he would have Harry do a spell to show them but only if it was a spell they would regularly be using. Sure enough aita stopped in the middle of no where gave them that silly grin of his and announced "We're officially lost!" He let them all gape at him for moment.

"Carina come here love." Aita pulled her forward and placed the wand in her hand. "Now don't get discouraged if this wand fights you it's a family wand not one suited for you." He told her. "Place the wand on the palm of your hand, that's it, balance in there. Now call out 'point me home' while concentrating on the tree house. Alright? Deep breathe and try it now." So she did.

For a moment she thought it hadn't worked than ever so slowly the wand began to move spinning around and landing on her siblings when they moved so it wasn't pointing at them the wand followed. She frowned obviously she'd gotten it wrong somehow and all her fears where coming forward about to explode out, when aita began to clap. "Well done, fantastic job." He beamed at her.

"It didn't point to our cabins?" She pointed out tearfully.

"Oh honey, That's my fault." Sirius sighed as he smiled at her. "I told you to think of home and the cabin not realizing that you would see them as two different things. When you think of home you think of family. The wood and beds and roof are just things. That's ok. Next time think carefully about what I'm asking you to do and if this happens again ask me to clarify for you."

"Here to prove it I want you to do it again but this time just think about the cabin sitting there empty save for your ama." Sirius ordered.

This time when she tried it again it pointed to her side and back a little. She smiled as everyone cheered for her. Her brothers and little sister spread out a little around them and she had fun closing her eyes so she couldn't see them and making the wand spin to their location. Soon she handed the wand over to Corvus so he could try and then to Hydrus who took a little longer to get it to work and the wand wobbled a bit the whole time. Aita said it was because he was so young and ill matched to the wand.

Harry laughed as they finished playing and started to pull out their bows and arrows. Sirius Black set up targets for them to aim at so he could teach them to shoot. If they took too long today or were just genuinely that bad, Sirius would simply have to go off and cheat. He could summon an animal to him and kill it. Ten times easier than hunting it down but Sirius had wanted to do something to help him bond with the kids. As it turned out his mischievous little Lyra should probably never again be allowed to shoot pointy objects near her brothers. The little idiots had been laughing at her admittedly amusing attempts to pull back the string. Only to realize with dawning horror that she'd succeed, just as she'd spun around to yell at them for it. She been so startled that she'd let go and the Arrow had flown toward three suddenly diving boys. Sirius had roared with laughter, falling over from where he'd been kneeling to coach his youngest.

Lyra had been horrified that she'd almost turned her brothers into shish kabob's but Sirius and been quick to reassure her. The arrows had been charmed and that wouldn't have happened. Still it had taken a bit to calm her back down thankfully the boys had just shrugged it off mostly. He did notice that none of them laughed at her again.

The rest of the attempts did much better. Once Lyra relaxed she managed to get the arrows to fly mostly straight she just lacked strength something that would come with time. The kids did do alright enough, he moved on to teaching them how to track the animals and read their environment to know what all might be near by. Corvus caught a quail though Sirius thought that might have been more accident than not. So they stopped for lunch and cooked the quail right there by a near by pond, where they went swimming. Stripping down to their underwear they went diving into the waters and jumping off the rocks splashing each other.

Hyd, was Swimming around the water fall when Harry realized he could no longer see the boy. Hyd tended to be curious by nature and could wonder off so harry set off to investigate. Under and behind the waterfall was an amazing cave with small crystals dotting the walls. Hyd stood in the middle looking around. "Hey Guys come look at this!" Harry called. Soon the other kids and Sirius joined him. Harry and Sirius Lit their wands and Sirius set several crystals to glow brightly and passed them off to the four wandless kids. Leaving two large ones at the cave entrance, they set off looking to see where it went more water could be heard further ahead.

Sirius warned them they wouldn't have much time but they could have fun exploring for a little while. If nothing else they could make note of the place and come back later. They would have to come back later anyway, Sirius thought as the cave widened into a monstrously huge cavern that housed among other things an underground lake and river. The river must lead back out into the ocean. There was no other explanation for how that got in here. Only himself and Harry had spotted it so far, only because it was tucked further back and up on the ledge of land that ran into that side of the lake. Sirius send several balls of light up into the top most part of the cavern lighting it up for all to see.

It's a pirate ship!" Corvus yelled. It was too, black flag high above the crows nest and all.

"Aita what exactly were the blacks using this island for?" Harry asked "Do you see the name on its side?"

"I have no idea." Sirius admitted. "I will have to come back another time to make sure it's safe. You kids can explore and play on it than. We don't what kinds of wards or booby traps might be on it right now." He told them forestalling their protests.

He led them back out to the water fall where they dried off, dressed, and went back to hunting. He followed a wandering path until they found fresh boar tracks. It took them a while and the boar tried to hunt them before anyone managed a hit. Harry and Corvus both got it. No one was sure whose shot got there first. Sirius praised both boys and wished the other better luck for next time. Since it had gotten so late he used magic to float it back home. Harry handed over his wand to Carina and let her lead the way home. Belvina was waiting on them with her hands on her hips, her mouth twisted into a frown that made padfoot shiver.

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Things on Alphard's island began to take on a routine. Belvina set up a loose schedule for classes to teach the kids everything they needed using Regulus's old primers that Sirius had gotten to set up for Harry. Belvina made copies of them and gave them to the kids for them to use as a guideline to what they needed to be learning. The fist bits of the primers were meant for younger kids and therefore easy, however Belvina made them do it any way since they all needed to get used to using quills. Carina's Birthday came and went they held a small party for her. The house-elves made all her favorite foods and cakes. The family all made her presents. Belvina collected charmed bracelets and passed one down to Carina for her twelfth birthday. When twenty-first came around they celebrated Mabon on the island, as a family. It was the first celebration with all of them. As Lughnassadh had occurred while they had been traveling. So they fed milkweed pods to the fairies. Sitting around the table and with Belvina guiding them, the kids strung hazelnuts on red thread while channeling magic to make little protection charms. Dinner was accompanied by beans and squash and served with a red wine. The kids got theirs watered down.

Sirius fixed up the sail boat he found and even added to it. When he was done it looked like a woodened sailing yacht. It's cabins and hold were of course much larger than what you'd find on a muggle yacht. They used it to make trips to buy things they couldn't make on the island. Things like ink, milk, milk based foods and clothes. They went somewhere different almost every time. They started by going to Spain. Belvina made them all eat lozenges so they could learn the language. The Lozenges were her own invention and she had made adjustments so it wouldn't be a head ache to use them. Much to Harry's relief. When visiting other places they explored the museums and famous sights. Everyone had fun watching the Flamenco dancers and listening to the drums as they tried local foods. Sirius also took them to quidditch games when ever they found one. Harry had offered to let his siblings use his Firebolt to learn broom riding but Belvina had nipped that idea immediately. She'd threatened to make it disappear for good if she saw the younger ones on it. It went far too high too fast for beginners.

Harry reluctantly put his broom up determining that if they couldn't fly he wouldn't.

Carina found a wand match on a small magical side street just a few miles from the docks. Belvina had gone to sell some of the potions ingredients she'd collected from the island and spotted the small shop, deciding it couldn't hurt to try and once she'd sold her wares she took the kids over. The shop was new and the wand maker had only been a master for a few years. She was however very good. So the kids had sampled her small stock and Carina had gotten her wand. The others were too happy for her to be overly disappointed in their own bad fortunes. Ama had then pulled them all into a clothing store. She bought formal looking expensive robes that were much to large for them. Explaining once they were back on the yacht that she was going to start giving them lessons in etiquette, proper posture, and dance. She wanted them to get used to the kind of clothes they would wear then. Since the only time the would wear those kinds of clothes now were in her lessons she gotten ones they would be able to wear for years. She'd just shrink them down for them for now. It was much easier she told them to make bigger clothes small rather then attempt to make small clothes big.

Once they had settled into a routine Harry inadvertently found the solution to their broom problem had been under their noses the whole time. He had hauled out his old fan mail and enlisted the kids to help him sort it out. Letters requesting things like business deals and Marriage contracts went into one pile to be dealt with later. The letters with well wishes were sorted into one pile and three dict-o-quills were used to address return envelopes for them. They had come up with a letter that explained Harry had only recently gotten his mail and thanking them. Belvina had checked the letter over than made copies of it for the envelopes. The read letters were burnt once they were answered. The thank you letters were put into a bag to be sent out once Harry caught up with his own time line. Many of the fans had also sent him gifts. The first bag they went through had mostly games and things for very little kids but every now and then they would find something over the top and expensive. For example, training brooms. Some were so small no one could use them but two found in the second bag; were just the right size for Lyra and Sirius was quick to steal both the better broom and the six year old. Much to Harry's amusement and the others jealousy until Harry mentioned that there just might be bigger brooms in there and every one was much happier to help him go through the mail. They found the gifts in the third bag where mostly geared toward Lyra's age. The fourth had things Hyd, Corvus, and Carina liked. Books had been found dotted through out all the bags and they were added to the growing library Sirius built them just off the main living room. They did soon find more brooms. Two comet 260's were found and gifted to Hyd and Corvus. Carina got the nimbus someone had sent him the year he'd started Hogwarts. Harry moaned that if he'd known that was in there sooner he could have saved himself loads of trouble last year. Belvina wasn't sure about the Nimbus, as it too was a rather fast racing broom, but Harry successfully argued it's case. He had after all learned on one as an Eleven year old. They found three more brooms that Harry set aside to figure out what to do with later. For the moment Sirius built a broom shed and the stored all the brooms in it theirs and the spares. Harry figured he could always ask Ron if he wanted one later. Sirius claimed one the moment he realized he could.

It was a little hard to go through some of the letters, some where from kids who were sick or dying others from people who were down on their luck and looking for help. Dean Thomas had written him just before they'd started Hogwarts to ask him for help finding the father who'd left his mom and him when he'd just been a baby. He'd included a photo asking Harry to return that when he could because it was the only one he had. Belvina took the photo looking bewildered, she made a copy of it and told Harry she hoped to someday figure out why he looked so familiar. Harry wrote Dean a letter personally and pinned it to the wall by the copied photo. Maybe if Bel remembered something it would help Dean out if he even still needed it? Well either way the hardest letters to go through were actually from Remus. Remus sent Harry something for every Wizarding Holiday and muggle one. He sent Harry birthday presents and letters about his parents describing events he'd witnessed between Harry's parents and highlighting just how beautiful and kind Lilly Evans Potter had once been. He sent Harry all sorts of little gifts for every occasion and had kept it up even while Harry had been in school. Harry ended up writing three scrolls worth in an attempt to answer all the mans questions and to reassure his honorary uncle that he had appreciated hearing from him. Sirius promised him they could contact Remus as soon as they caught up with time. They would invite the werewolf to come stay with them.

They had fun, every lesson was geared to keep their attention and carefully explained when they needed it. To keep Harry from being bored or so Sirius claimed, Harry taught some of the lessons to Carina and Corvus. Privately Harry thought this was because Sirius preferred chasing Hyd and Lyra around their playground. Belvina didn't like it when Sirius was idle, she claimed being bored gave him bad ideas, so any time she had the kids for lessons Sirius was ordered to add to their home, or make safe designated play area's. So far they four guest bedrooms with there own fully tiled en-suite. Two 'playgrounds' with swing sets, slides, various climbers, climbing walls, balance beams, patter paths, climbing rocks, spider walls, and log rolls. He had gotten bits of metal from muggle garbage yards and used them to make even more stuff. Soon things that made music when you hit it or the wind caught them joined the rest. He'd even started to made slides out the natural rocks surrounding the only inlet in walking distance, he'd already made swimming area's and it looked like he was on his way to turning it into their own personal water park.

Twice a week Belvina staged lessons in proper pure-blood behavior. How they walked, talked, and ate. Once a week Sirius talked about the family business (Belvina had gotten all the paperwork for him). He taught them about their own finances and each child had their own allowance. They had to keep their own rooms cleans and do small chores to earn it, then keep track of how they spent it and explain why.

Potions with Ama was the best as far as Harry was concerned. She was NOTHING like Snape. For one she showed them how to do each step and made sure they could copy her first. She talked about each ingredient on her table what it was, what it did, and how to store it. They all had to recite the reactions back to her before they were ever allowed to brew anything. Even Lyra had a small desk and a play potions set. Granted the play set had been from Harry's fan mail. Sirius taught them runes, every day he used them as they fixed up the playground equipment adding protective charms and wards to everything and anchoring them to ward schemes.

The only classes Belvina and Sirius didn't really cover were history and divinations. Sirius added a projector to the yacht so they could watch movies play on the sails as they lay on the decking. It was during one of these movie moments that Sirius had the best idea to solve their lack in history classes. The next time they went out into civilization Sirius disappeared into the muggle world for some dolls, action figures, bags of toy soldiers and into the wizarding alley's for book stores. Once home he dumped it all into his work room and was noticeably distracted for the next two weeks. When he was finished he had a puppet stage that used the newly animated dolls to play scenes from history.

The toy soldiers had their own staging area a flat table with the surface enchanted to show land as though you were looking down on it. They enacted famous battles and recited victory speeches, even told the kids who they are, who they were fighting and why. The action figures were enchanted to look like famous people and would talk about important moments in their lives and how those moments effected the kids lives now. Belvina called him the creepiest genius she'd ever met. The dolls really freaked her out. To the point she avoided that part of house. Sirius had taken to leaving them in places she would find or staging them so they were looking at her right up until she'd hit him with a hex. It left no visible effects and no one would tell kids what did; but Sirius stopped pranking her with the dolls so what ever it was it worked.

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Samhain came and went, they carved pumpkin's, created prayer pouches to burn in the bonfires and set up elaborate candles that they burnt for the dead. November came and with it first Sirius's birthday and than Corvus'. For Sirius birthday they made him cards and bought him little things from their shopping excursions. For Corvus they gave him home made gifts and as they had for Carina the house-elves made all his favorite foods all day. Harry had bought some sweets the last time they found a small magical street and now gifted some to Corvus. The rest of November and December passed in blurs. The only real difference being the storms became less frequent and Corvus found a wand while they shopped on a small magical island just a little ways away from Portugal. They set up fairy lights and pixie homes around their little tree houses. They all decorated a yule log and then burnt it. Carina proclaimed that a waste of hard work. At least it smelled wonderful even while burning. The wreath they all spent so much time making was stored away. Carina thought that was nice until she realized it was only because they would burn it at different holiday. She spent the rest of the night in a snit.

January brought good news in that Sirius declared the Pirate ship safe to explore. The treasure chests were mostly empty just a few bits of gold and silver jewelry and small gems, and those were found hidden in cabins and under loose boards. Sirius made enough repairs on the ship that the kids safely turned it into a club house of sorts. The dead mans planks would make a great diving board. Corvus commented that people used to beg NOT to have to jump off it and here they were begging ama for permission to jump. As January came to a close the household prepared to celebrate Imbolc. Bel had them make wheat dolls and cradles for them. They baked small bread rolls which they buttered and left out for the fairies. The next morning they undressed the dolls and scattered the wheat outside the girls had fun with dolls at least. The boys had more fun burning the yule greens to send winter away. Harry figured this was the religion made for pyromaniacs every holiday it seemed brought them something new to burn.

The following weekend Harry finally had all but the sixth bag of mail completely sorted, replies filled out and ready to mail, and the toys in the play rooms. The sixth bag would not allow Harry to open it. He'd had to get Bel and Sirius to help because it had a giant warning symbol on the tag for 'living'. Bel thought someone might have sent him a pet or something. She was kind of right. It didn't contain one pet, but over one hundred and fifty. Each box had it's own stasis charm in addition to protective containment charms. Some one had sent him a pair of baby goats. They were cute and messy. Bel told Sirius his new project was to build them homes and enclosures. The goats weren't even close the craziest. Fish were placed in tanks as were the snakes, frogs, and lizards, next came a baby water buffalo of all things, chickens, and Kneazles were handed off to the other kids, Owls sent to their Owlrey, Harry announced he was keeping the puppies, and the day's old baby house-elf someone had gifted him was quickly handed over to their own house-elves to be cared for.

People were crazy Harry decided, looking around all the animals he'd been sent. That was all there was to it. Carina claimed a kneazle and an owlet as her own Sirius placed a little collar around the kittens neck that read Baily belongs to Carina Black. A similar metal tag was added to the owlet's leg. Lyra didn't want a kneazle, she wanted one of the puppies. A small white Maltese climbed into her lap and nipped her on the chin, so she bit him back called him hers and preceded to pull the ribbons and bows out of her own hair to place in his fur no matter how many times Sirius told her that was just mean, he was boy dog. Lyra told him if he wanted to be manly he should have been borne as something bigger and less cute. She consented to picking out an owlet only because all the others would have their own. She chose a little barn owls whose eyes were biggest part of it's whole body. She called it Creeper and would not change her mind.

Corvus also picked a puppy a small brown Chow that happily settled on his lap. He told Sirius to pick an owl for him he didn't really care. Hyd picked out his owl begged for a snake, settled for a non poisonous lizard instead. It was bearded dragon and rather cool so he could deal with not getting his way. All of the snakes were poisonous, some were incredibly rare but all were dangerous. Harry could still speak to them and that didn't stop them from trying to bite everyone. So Belvina would be taking them. Harry had a sneaky feeling they'd used in her potions. Sirius picked out two owls for his and Bels use. The rest of the kneazle cats and owls were tagged and slated to be taken with them to be sold the next time they went shopping.

The puppies left over were all very cute and varied in breed. A light brown Chihuahua puppy shook as it looked around, a sleek black and white Dalmatian was avoiding every one, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was chewing on her oversized ear, the ugliest dog Harry had ever laid eyes on, a powderpuff Chinese Crested according to its tag, was hiding under a chair, better than the Pomeranian who was hiding under Sirius, and though Harry wasn't sure he wanted to admit it, his favorite a small fluffy Shih Tzu with a bow in her head was sitting regally on top her box as she surveyed her inferiors. Bel said he couldn't keep them all but he could pick is top three. "We can sell the Dalmatian and Chihuahua than." Harry told her reluctantly.

"That still leaves you with four!" Bel said.

"Nope." Harry disagreed and pointed where Sirius was playing with Pomeranian. "Aita adopted a puppy too."

"Fine." Bel sounded just as amused as she did exasperated so Harry figured she wasn't too mad. "But you will all be taking care of your own animals. That means feeding them, cleaning them, and cleaning up after them. You have to get them house trained or they stay outside you got it?"

"Yes Ama." they agreed. They would all help Lyra with hers until she was older. So that ama wouldn't have to worry about it. Harry couldn't help but wonder though if Aberforth Dumbledore was related to Albus and if so why had the man sent him goats?

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For Ostara on the twenty-first of March Herb packets with celandine, cinquefoil, jasmine, rue, tansy, and violets were made up to be burnt and acorn, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, honeysuckle, iris, lily, and strawberry were gathered up into wreaths, cradles, into bowls, and hung as decorations. Ostara celebrations were about waking up mother earth. So Lyra was given Belvina's wand and walked to the northern most point just a little ways away from where they had all gathered. She tapped the wand to the ground three times and yelled wake up earth. She did it two more times before running back to her parents asking if she'd done it right and would the Earth listen and really wake up? The rest of the time was spent eating light foods and playing around the island. Hydrus celebrated his birthday three days later and they played hide-n-go seek around their home.

In April came a round of Nasty surprises for the kids. Belvina had gotten a copy of the standard British ministry education test for their ages and they all had to take it even Harry. It took two whole weeks to get through all the testing. Then Sirius and Belvina had to use the teachers guide to grade it. It was designed to be graded harshly because home schooled students would inevitably miss stuff a real school would cover. The tests were meant to discourage home schooling still, Harry hadn't expected the low results. A's and one EE in his case. It also showed that while they were ahead in several area's they were also lacking in what the department of education called essential basics. Belvina said she was expecting that at least somewhat and just adjusted her and Sirius's curriculum to include it. She had stolen the class guidelines from Durmstrang to help get them back on track and she and Sirius both had them start writing essay's. Carina woke up in a puddle of blood and immediately panicked. Her hysterical screams brought everyone to her room. Sirius once he realized what was wrong simply picked her up and rocked her until she stopped crying. The house-elves took away the bloody blankets and Belvina spelled her clothes clean. Once she was calmed enough Belvina told them she was not in fact dying. What followed was an in depth lecture on the biological workings of the female body. Bel herself had not had this problem until she turned fifteen. She had not therefore, thought to warn Carina. For which, she apologized profusely. Harry thought all of April should be forgotten and never mentioned again.

As May first loomed ahead the family prepared to celebrate Beltaine. Almond, ash, cinquefoil, frankincense, marigold, meadowsweet, and woodruff were collected to be burned. The main house smelled wonderful as the days went on and angelica, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, primrose, and rose al began making an appearance in their decorations. They made wreaths out of them and hung them up by the door ways. Sirius made may poles and fused some of the same herbs they would later be burning into an intricate wooden Athame. He worked diligently on it until it was beautiful work of art carvings of battles rolled into the blade. Belvina made a wooden cauldron the same way. Carving delicate flowers and vines into its side.

For the ceremony itself the children burnt the herbs and Sirius placed his Athame into Belvina's cauldron they placed it on the wooden alter that soon burnt with the rest turning into a pretty bonfire. Sirius had enchanted some of the bundles meant for burning and every time they added one of the fire turned colors. They had fun jumping over the smaller bonfires and making necklaces out flowers and beads. Those necklaces were infused with magic as they did it and they were later be hung around their beds and walls to bring them luck in love as they aged. Hyd hid his in his wardrobe and told Harry that Carina was all the proof he needed to know girls were gross, he didn't want one.

Lyra wanted everyone to dress as princesses for her birthday and they did even the boys. Much to their disgust and Sirius's joy. When questioned Sirius happily told them that he was the one with the camera and therefore all the blackmail material. He was going to deny ever having worn a similar outfit and they wouldn't be able to prove otherwise.

Harry thought now that he'd sorted his mail and answered it all he'd have that time free. He was wrong. Sirius led him back to the spare room they'd used to sort his mail only this time where the mail used to be were stacks of boxes.

"These contain your inheritance from your mom's family and your parents house in Godrics Hollow. You need to go through them, throw away the junk decide what you want to sell and what you want to keep. Bel said she's tired of having to store all the boxes. I'll help when I can. There is a chance I'll know the stories behind some of the stuff. If its magical always ask me first. You remember how to check right?" With that Sirius left him to it.

They celebrated Litha by Making amulets (simple charms) of protection out of herbs such as rue and rowan. Harry burnt his old one in the midsummer's fire. They each made a Solar Wheel for their bedroom. Together they made a large one to hang on their main tree outside. A Solar Wheel is a circle of twisted grape vine stems and decorated with feathers, stones, pouches of ashes, and shells with the stems of the vine crossing each other in the otherwise open middle. A candle was added to the large one and charmed so it would burn all year and not catch anything on fire. It was festooned with green and yellow ribbons.

In the after noon they made Witch's Ladder's using red, black, and white yarn braided together until it was three feet long. Nine feathers all the same color were added depending on what spell you wanted to twist into the ladder. For instance for luck with money the feathers would be green or if you wanted peace and protection the feathers would be blue. Carina's feathers were black for wisdom. Corvus put white in his for balance (he'd hit a growth spurt recently that left him stumbling everywhere). Belvina's was iridescent for the insight she claimed she needed to keep all six of her kids out of trouble. It took Sirius awhile but he did notice she'd included him in that.

After dinner they gathered herbs mostly Vervain, Rosemary, Hyssop, Yarrow and St. John's Wort, out of the garden. Laughing and telling jokes as they did. Many of the herbs would later be used in a purification ritual to rid the house of old and dark magic's so as not to attract nasty creatures like doxy's.

That night they built a midsummers eve fire and burned last years Yule wreath. The kids soaked thyme in olive oil and dabbed their eyelids with mixture. It was an old potion used to allow a person to see magic for a short time. They tied a bundle of fennel with red ribbons and hung it over the door of the main house for long life and protection. Bel said the cabin was really started to feel like a true home. Harry wasn't sure what she thought it had been the rest of the year but he knew when he finally had to leave for Hogwarts he'd miss the place.

It's funny for three years Hogwarts was home. Almost a year on an island full of idiots and everything had changed. He wouldn't trade them for anything not even Hydrus who kept stealing his firebolt and going for joy rides when he thought Harry too busy to notice. His sisters routinely braided his hair or slipped ribbons in it. Corvus was mouthy and often thought he was right even when he wasn't and Sirius was more likely to help them get into trouble than keep them out of it. He also tended to let them take the fall if he accidently pranked Belvina. Not that Harry was perfect he was well aware that he had habits that drove his siblings spare.

When Lughnassadh came around they spent their morning after breakfast picking blackberries. It had rained in the early morning and Sirius had excitedly collected buckets full of the rain water. He'd barely taken the time to tell them it was an essential ingredient in something he wanted to enchant before he was off. When they got back to the house they baked the blackberries into a pie decorated with the Solar Cross. They made a witches bottle out of a large glass jar and buried under the heart of their tree house. The pie and cornbread and other food related odds and ends were packed up into the pic nick baskets and they went down to the beach. Where they usually built sand castles today they built sand candles and played among the waves. Belvina told them that making these memories together as a family was something they could always cherish, she wished she'd had siblings to do these things with. Her biggest hope as far as her kids go was that they'd always stick together.

Sirius had gotten bored again. They had the biggest tree house ever the main house now consisted of a kitchen the house elf quarters, a dining room, living room, den, library toilet and an upstairs with two bedrooms both with walk in closets and an en-suite. Each kid had their own bedroom with en-suite. Plus ten guest bedrooms dotted here and there among the trees never too far away from the main cluster. Three play grounds packed with everything a playground could have, a quidditch pitch and a massive water park. Belvina thought that was quite enough but didn't know what else to make him do. She struck inspiration during one of their shopping strips. They were in Italy walking around when she caught Sirius staring at a car. It was sleek and just by looking she could tell it was fast. The people next to them were talking about it too apparently someone they knew had bought one and wrecked it a week later. It had been irreparable and had to be junked. Junked, like with their Rolls? Mentioning to Sirius that he could go steal broken things out of muggle garbage heaps to fix made his day. Sirius did just as she suggested. A new sports car here, a few racing motor bikes there. Soon, he was starting his own collection. He decided he would keep a few on the yacht to use while they were off island, so that he could actually get some use out them.

Sirius called the kids together by the beach one bright and early morning smiling excitedly. "Bel's birthday is coming up." He told them. "I want to do something special for her and you kids are going to help." He pulled out his wand "First I need to show you a few spells. Don't worry Hyd, Lyra your going to be able to help too."

The spell he showed them would make certain claims glow. They were going to gather the glowing clams only he stressed. Their Aita then passed out satchels to everyone and Gillyweed. They spent an entire week collecting glowing clams. When aita decided they had collected enough he gathered them into their pirate ship club house and showed them what to do. The clams had glowed because they had pearls in them. They made Belvina a necklace made of a long string of pearls. Padfoot even made her earring's using some of the melted pirate jewelry and a bracelet with an elegant clasp. The clasp only took him four tries but he got it right eventually. They had so many pearls left over that Sirius went ahead and made Carina and Lyra small pearl necklaces to match their mothers.

The biggest problem Sirius had right now was his mind. He wasn't right and he knew it. He just wasn't sure how to fix it. The kids all helped. Harry was of course his reason for living. The boy was so much like James it hurt. Then if that wasn't bad enough he'd be joking with the boy and messing around and BAM there was Lily glaring at him all righteous indignation because he'd done something cruel. Sirius had loved them. He had loved lily as much as he'd ever loved a woman and he'd loved James even more. Sirius was as straight as could be but if he was given Verataserum and asked if he'd ever been in love he'd say yes and mean James. Prongs had been charismatic and funny. He'd been kind and known just what to do to make a person laugh. Most importantly he'd seen Sirius through his the best and worst and loved him anyway. His Parents, brother, cousins they all hated him because they thought he was too light, they were wrong of course. James had seen Sirius's dark parts the ones so much scarier than everyone else's and had stood by him, not merely unafraid, but willing to help him hide whatever was left of the bodies and to wash the blood off and get rid of the evidence before anyone could come for him.

Lily on the other hand accepted his darker parts and gave him rules. She'd made an honest to the Goddess list for him. She'd titled it General guidelines for blending in. It had listed stuff like what not to laugh at. When a prank becomes attempted murder. Things Sirius often had trouble with. Lily had been willing to not only share Harry with him but had volunteered to carry for him if wanted kids later. Oh she'd given her blood to adopt any kids and be their godmother but at the time neither of them had honestly thought he'd willingly marry someone else to have kids. Then he'd lost them and awoken in Azkaban all alone just him and his dark parts.

His kids were a miracle. Carina was so much like Lily it made him feel warm. Looking at her, Hydrus, Lyra and Corvus was wonderful like he had for the first time in his life done something so right. Corvus at times was more like him. It scared him that the boy might lead a similar life than he looked at the other's and how Harry protected and guided him. He knew then that so long as Harry lived Corvus would have a better more stable life. They were good together so much better than Sirius and Regulus. The way they might have been had Walburga not been a complete bitch that had enjoyed pitting her sons against each other.

Belvina had been telling him that she wanted the kids to make memories together to do activities that bonded them together. It was why she put so much effort and emphasis on the holidays instead of just a general acknowledgement as they went on with their days. So Sirius planned activities on their excursions off island and on it. Playing with the kids helped him to, it was easier to concentrate on the good bits when James was smiling at him from his littlest girls face. Lyra was a ball of mischief, pulling pranks on everyone, hiding things from her brothers and pointing the blame at the others. She was a bright ray of sunshine even on his darker days when all he wanted to do was drink himself into oblivion or go on a murder spree. It was with her in mind that he took the kids their first ever amusement park. Belvina didn't necessarily like the park but she took pictures and smiled for the kids anyway. He visited library's with the kids looking up places, events, and things to build.

He built what others called a mountain coaster on the island. Since the island wasn't a mountain there wasn't enough downward momentum to make it go its own. Sirius used runes and charms to make it run. He added loop de loops and random dives along the cliff sides. He turned one of the caves into a car garage making a stone drive way from the house to the cave long enough that he could teach the kids how to drive on it. Everywhere they went Sirius found something to take back with them to fix up later. He found and repaired boats, motorcycles, jet ski's, and more. The kids loved learning how to use all of it. They took lessons surfing and folk dancing. Explored more of the world. They sailed to Chile to hike in the mountains and took pictures of magnificent views. They went skiing in Norway, swimming in the deep Oceans with whales, Orca's, and more. Belvina took them to museums, orchestra's, and the ballet.

They bought and traded for books, sculptures, masks and paintings at flea markets, estate sells, and little bazaars to take home in order to decorate the houses with bits of where they had been. Some places didn't use money as Harry had always known it but instead traded their wares for others. They picked up fabrics and cloths from all over, made jewelry and bits some to keep some to sell. Bel sold and traded potions every where they went.

In an art exhibit on the magical side of New York city Harry saw something familiar. He had not understood of course why the image of the man had made Harry stop until he read the mans name and biography. It was a with a sinking feeling that he called Belvina over and asked her to take a look, as he read the small Biography plaque.

'Z. Shafiq pure blood British born wizard with a Native American mother and a famous artist had been murdered in January nineteen eighty-one. When the wizard extremist known only as Voldemort tried to recruit him to exploit magical portraits in the hopes of using them to create a spy network. Mr. Shafiq told Voldemort he would rather die and Voldemort had taken that as literal…' 

"well," Belvina started as she looked at the display. "At least I now know why he looked so familiar. He was one of my favorites as a child I own one of his landscapes. It's hanging in the living room of my house in Wales. I'll show it to you when we can finally visit there."

"Look." Cori pointed to a table beside the display. "It says it has pictures of all his known work in addition to being his biography. They negotiated the right to produce it with the estate keeper at Gringotts where his personal wealth is being managed until his son claims."

Carina took over. "No one has actually met his son or even knows the child's name, but in nineteen eighty he released his final work entitled 'oh, How I Love Thee my son' It was a large portrait of a new born wrapped in a blue blanket. He changed his vault information at the bank to include said child and made arrangements with the Goblins. If the goblins know the child's name they've never said."

"Holey crap they want twenty Galleons for that book." Hydrus chocked. "It's a limited print and they will never make any more of them."

Harry hesitated and looked towards Belvina. "Ama I don't know what to do."

"We get it." Belvina said firmly. "We have it. Sirius and I used some loose pearly to make earrings and bracelets we sold just yesterday for a small fortune. We can buy a book for a child who deserves to know his father loved him."

"He thought his father abandoned them." Harry explained to his siblings. "He's always thought he was a muggle born, I don't think the Goblins knew how to contact him. He has also been using his step fathers last name so they might not have realized who he was when he visited them." They bought the book and when they got home they placed it with Deans reply letter.

"That's not exactly something you should read in a letter. We'll visit him when we get back and tell him person." Harry turned and grinned at his ama.

"That sounds right, you're the greatest ama in the world you know?" Harry told her.

The time passed as it always did; in a flurry of holidays, birthdays, schooling and tests. Soon, and all too soon at that, as far as Sirius was concerned. Time caught up with them and the July seventh that would mean soon sending the kids to Hogwart's next was fast approaching them. Carina would turn fifteen in the castle where they couldn't be. At least Lyra would be here with them well with him. Belvina would have to go to England to get things set up and to keep up with her normal appearances. She did after all have a life before him and their family. She had a job and business contracts to keep.

Bel would also be meeting with lawyers to try and sue the ministry in an attempt to get him off. He'd never had a trial so he was betting on some loop hole some where that would get him off. Now that time had caught up to them Belvina could also take control of all the Black family money's she even had a ready made excuse as to why she hadn't touched in until now. With Harry 'missing' Sirius wrongfully imprisoned and their kids so young, there was always the chance someone could have used Sirius against them or had him kissed, or used the kids against one or both of them to get some unscrupulous person access to the money. Bel could claim that now that he was away from the corrupt ministry and kids were older she could finally act to right all the old wrongs.

Sirius was fairly certain that Dumbledore wasn't a bad man per say just very old, busy and arrogant. He along with everyone else had been so sure that they knew everything, that none of them had bothered to check if they actually had the facts right. He was going to try to contact the man and talk to him reasonably. He would tell him the story he and Bell would use in general that she had been pressured to marry by her parents and that Sirius had been in the same mess. They had regarded each other as they best of a bad situation and Lily had known and helped them. He would tell him about the time travel to get more time with his kids and wife but not the rest.

He would make an agreement with Dumbledore. If Dumbledore was willing to sign over custody of Harry as Petunia already had, than he and Bel would return to Private drive for a couple weeks it would take to recharge the wards and not a moment more. Harry would spend the rest of the time at home with them. Belvina was going to fill out her own set of the paperwork she'd already had the Dursley submit to the board of governors requiring the kids to come home every holiday and on certain weekend's.

They were also going to allow Corvus, Carina, and Harry to take the OWL's for DADA, Potions, History, and Muggle studies before they went to Hogwarts for Harry's fourth year. It would free up time for the kids allowing Harry and Carina to tutor Hydrus in the first three subjects. Hogwarts didn't exactly have the best reputation in recent years concerning those classes. Every one of the DADA professors had tried to kill Harry even Remus who couldn't love Harry more if the child was his own son. Sirius had taught all of his kids Occlumency and had seen the way Snape treated Harry, while the man had protected Harry that didn't mean it was forgivable to bully him the rest of the time.


End file.
